Adviser ponders future

Unglaub 'amazed' contract not renewed

The decision not to renew a high school teacher's contract means that next year the Distributive Education Clubs of America program will have a new adviser -- its sixth since the late 1990s.

Business and marketing teach--er and DECA adviser Eric Un----glaub said he was told March 11 that his contract would not be renewed. He had the option of waiting for the nonrenewal to be formalized or resigning.

In a move he likened to "having a root canal," he resigned less than a month later.

Unglaub said he wasn't told why he wouldn't be invited back for a third year.

"With three 'satisfactory' semester observations and a brief meeting with (Principal Jane) Krogman as late as March 3, once again pointing out my strengths and areas for growth, I was amazed at this scenario," he wrote in an eight-page letter that was hand-delivered to Moffat County School District Board of Education members.

Although he resigned, Un----glaub went before the School Board on April 10. He said he would have opted to open the meeting to the public had he known he had that right.

Unglaub said he used his time before the board to summarize his letter.

"I didn't have any intention of fighting for my job because I was told it wouldn't help," he said.

It didn't. The board backed Krogman's decision.

School district officials were unable to comment because this is a personnel issue.

Unglaub came to Moffat County two years ago from Nevada, where he had taught for three years. His contract was nearly not renewed last year because he was short the two classes he needed to get his Colorado teaching license. He took the classes at Colorado State University.

Unglaub says he's proud of what he's accomplished while in Moffat County. He's increased the average daily profit at the DECA store from $140 to $240, which allows him to pay students $6 an hour to work there. Enrollment in the marketing class has more than doubled.

DECA operates with the goal of improving educational and career opportunities in marketing, management and entrepreneurship for students.

Unglaub also led the school's Knowledge Bowl team to state for two years in a row.

Unglaub said that he's had no indication that his performance wasn't satisfactory.

"I'm off the charts, in my opinion," he said about his commitment to the school.

The 43-year-old teacher is looking for another position in Colorado, but also has applied to be a research specialist for ESPN. He said that's one job that would take him away from students.